ELA6+Heritage

toc =Topic= In this unit students will read and discuss a variety of fictional and informational text. To appreciate how we are shaped by experiences we have and the people we encounter, students do a Generations Project, in which they consider perspectives from different generations within a family. The project also helps hone students' interview and research skills. In addition, students create semantic maps of the phrase "embracing heritage" in order to represent visually their understanding of this phrase. They write vignettes about their personal heritages and their family's arrival in America.
 * NEW: Unit 4a: Coming to America **

=Common Core Standards= Students will: **RL6.1**: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. **RL6.2**: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details;provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments. **RL6.3**: Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution. (The Circuit) **RL6.4**: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone. (All American Slurp) **RL6.9**: Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take. (The All American Slurp and The Circuit) **RL6.11**: Recognize, interpret, and make connections in narratives,poetry, and drama, ethically and artistically to other texts, ideas, cultural perspectives, eras, personal events, and situations. Self-select text based on personal preferences. b. Use established criteria to classify, select, and evaluate texts to make informed judgments about the quality of the pieces. (Slavery pieces) **RI6.2:** Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments. **RI6.3:** Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes). **RI6.4**: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings. **RI6.5:** Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas. **RI6.6:** Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text. **RI6.7:** Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue. **RI6.8:**Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not. **RI6.9:** Compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a biography on the same person). **a.** Use their experience and their knowledge of language and logic, as well as culture, to think analytically, address problems creatively, and advocate persuasively. (Vignette project) **W6.4:** Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.) a. Produce text (print or non-print) that explores a variety of cultures and perspectives. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**W6.5:** With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grade 6 on page 53.)
 * RI6.1:** Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. (

=Suggested Student Objectives= //**SWBAT:**//
 * Define the word //**heritage**// and review the word //**culture;**//
 * Explore U.S. immigrant experiences through historical fiction and nonfiction texts;
 * Analyze multiple accounts of U.S. immigration from different points of view and describe important similarities and differences in the details they provide;
 * Conduct interviews to gather information from human "primary sources" (e.g., with family members);
 * Summarize information gleaned from interviews
 * Explain the importance of oral tradition
 * Conduct research on countries from which family members emigrated
 * Write arguments about the proposition that America is a "land of opportunity;"
 * Define related words and identify their parts of speech (e.g., migrate, immigrate, emigrate, etc.).

//**SWBAT:**//
 * Grammar and Punctuation**
 * use commas in a variety of ways, i.e. appositives, multiple subjects, etc.
 * explore the use of using colons in writing
 * use quotation marks to write dialogue, etc.

= Terminology/ Academic Vocabulary = = =
 * reading vocabulary || argument vocabulary || plot vocabulary ||
 * text structure || argument || exposition ||
 * close reading || claim || rising action ||
 * compare || reason || climax ||
 * contrast || evidence || falling action ||
 * theme || counterclaim || resolution ||
 * || bias ||  ||
 * || thesis statement ||  ||

=Required Reading=
 * Literary Texts:**


 * The All American Slurp (Lensey Namioka), Glencoe
 * Names/Nombres (Julia Alvarez)
 * The Circuit (Francisco Jimenez), Glencoe, Springboard
 * The People Will Fly


 * Visual:**
 * American Heritage: Immigration to the United States (Video to use as launch for unit) []


 * Quote:**
 * "America is another name for opportunity" Ralph Waldo Emerson


 * Informational Texts:**
 * How People Immigrate (True Books) Sarah De Capua
 * If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island (If You[r]...series)(Ellen Levine and Wayne Parmenter)
 * Slavery, the Middle Passage (Grolier Online)


 * Poetry:**
 * A Slaves Short Life

=Suggested Additional Readings=
 * Literary Texts:**
 * One More River to Cross: The Stories of Twelve Black Americans (Scholastic Biography) (Jim Haskins)
 * As Long As the Rivers Flow: The Stories of Nine Native Americans (Scholastic Biography) (Paula Gunn Allen and Patricia Clark Smith)
 * Project Mulberry (Linda Sue Park)
 * Weedflower (Cynthia Kadohata)
 * Escape from Saigon: How a Vietnam War Orphan Became an American Boy (Andrea Warren)
 * House on Mango Street


 * Informational Texts:**
 * Geographic Dispersal Across the USA
 * New Kids on the Block: Oral Histories of Immigrant Teens (Janet Bode) Introduction and //"Francia"//
 * History of US: Reconstructing America 1865-1890 (Book 7) (Joy Hakim)
 * Immigrant Kids (Russell Freedman)
 * First Crossing: Stories about Teen Immigrants (Donald R.Gallo)
 * Through the Eyes of Your Ancestors: A Step-by-Step Guide to Uncovering Your Family's History (Maureen Alice Taylor)
 * Do People Grow on Family Trees? Genealogy for kids and Other Beginners: The Official Ellis Island Handbook (Ira Wolfman)
 * Visual:**
 * The Pursuit of Happiness []
 * Art:**
 * Jacob Riis, various photographs
 * Childe Hassam, Village Scene(1883-1885)
 * Childe Hassam, Winter in Union Square (1889-1890)
 * Childe Hassam, Flags on Fifty-Seventh Street: The Winter of 1918 (1918)
 * Music/Lyrics:**
 * "Coming To America" (Neil Diamond)

=Resource Links=
 * Visual Thesaurus Online Database (see General Resources)
 * Social Studies Wiki, Grade 8: Immigration Resources
 * Virtual Tour of Ellis Island: Interactive Field Trip
 * Immigration Data
 * Young Immigrants
 * The All American Slurp: PDF
 * The Circuit PDF

//**Suggested Genealogy Generations Project Resources:**//
 * Traditions Recording Form
 * Five Generations Chart
 * Family Group Sheet
 * Step Family Sheet
 * Adoptive Family Sheet
 * Biographical Family Member Outline
 * Artifacts and Heirlooms Worksheet
 * Family Tree Template

=Activities=
 * **Class discussion: "What is meant by heritage?"** Which element of heritage does one look for when learning about a culture? Write your ideas down on a sticky note and "give one, get one". With your class, create a chart of elements to look for in texts read during this unit. We will continue to add to the list as we gain additional insights into heritage during this unit. Create an online concept map using a web tool.
 * **Compare and Contrast the experiences of immigrants from different countries.** Cite specific information from texts to justify responses. How do the stories from this unit provide insight into the experiences of immigrants? How are their stories alike? Different? Site specific information from the texts to justify your responses. Do the stories turn out as you expected? Why or why not? Write your responses in a journal and share it with a partner before class discussion.
 * **After reading one of the immigrant stories, respond in your journal to this James Baldwin quotation:** "Know from whence you came. If you know from whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go." Cite specific examples from the text to justify response. Post your responses to the classroom blog and compare it responses of your classmates.
 * **Create a travel brochure about one of the countries from which one of the characters from a story have immigrated** (collaborative project with a partner or group). Draw information from several sources (e.g., print, digital, video, multimedia, etc.). Share ideas, formulate questions, plan the research, conduct the research, evaluate the credibility and relevance of the source; and finally, synthesize the information and report your findings in a report or brochure. Cite sources used in collecting information. For a travel brochure, what should visitors learn that would increase understanding of that country's heritage? Work with peers to get feedback and improve your brochure or report and publish using publishing software. An optional extension is to present your findings as a multimedia presentation.
 * **Multimedia Genealogy Generations Project *R.** As a way to personalize immigration stories, you are encouraged to learn about the countries from which your family emigrated. Prior to starting this project, plan with a classmate which aspects of their immigration you would like to research, and why, how you plan to conduct and organize your research, and how you plan to search through sources efficiently for relevant information. Generate meaningful interview questions that will generate the information you need. Interview three family members (or family friends) from different generations for this project, asking ten questions about significant aspects of their respective childhoods and life growing up. The purpose of this project is to get perspectives from different generations within one family to show how we are shaped by the experiences we have and by the people we encounter. Your essay/ multimedia project should be logically ordered with at least three quotations from each family member interviewed. Edit your work for the grammar conventions studied so far this year. Include artifacts and photographs if desired.
 * **Analyze various accounts of immigrant experiences, then identify and distinguish among facts, opinions, and reasoned judgements from the immigrants' perspectives.** How do they give the reader a better picture of the immigrant experience than informational text or literature alone? This can be a journal activity or Think, pair, share. Be sure to write down the page numbers of facts and opinions or mark your book with sticky notes so you can go back and cite the text during class discussion.
 * **Write an argument:** "America is the Land of Opportunity". People have been immigrating to the United States for more than two hundred years. Even today, there are people who immigrate to America. Do you think the reasons for current immigration are similar to or different from the reasons of those who immigrated two hundred years ago? Write your position on a sticky note and discuss your preliminary ideas with classmates. Plan to conduct and organize your research, and how you plan to search through different sources efficiently for relevant information. Then, draft your argument about whether the reasons are more similar or different between these two waves of immigration. Write a well developed paper that includes an engaging opening statement of your position, at least three supporting details from two different sources, and a strong conclusion. Edit your writing for the grammar conventions studied so far this year.
 * **Write an essay response to the essential question** "How can we learn to appreciate our similarities and differences through literature?"). Prepare it for publication. Be prepared to make an audio recording of your essay and upload it as a podcast to accompany your Genealogy/Multimedia Generations Project.
 * **Write a poem or a song for two voices about the immigrant's experience.** The poem should be modeled after the poetry in: //Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices// by Paul Fleischman and the song/ lyrics "Coming to America" written by Neil Diamond. The song or poem should reflect historical information (or present-day information). Work with classmates to present the song or poem as a dramatic reading and record it with a video camera.
 * **Word study:** keep an index card file of words studied while reading about immigrant experiences.(culture, heritage, immigration, emigrant, immigrant, endowment, lineage, racism, tolerance, legacy, ancestry, etc.). Just as we can trace the path of our ancestors, we can trace the path of words. Choose some words and trace back from modern day uses of words to their historical origins. In addition, create a semantic map of the phrase "embracing heritage" in order to represent visually your understanding of the phrase.
 * **Write an informative/explanatory essay in response to the essential question: "How does Heritage define us individually and as a nation?** To prepare for the essay, make a T-chart that describes in one column what is different (drawing on your own research). Provide at least three ways of learning and cite examples from the texts to support your assertions. Be prepared to make an audio recording of your essay and upload it as a podcast to accompany your Genealogy/Multimedia Generations Project.
 * **Mechanics and Grammar:** As a class, continue adding to the mechanics and grammar bulletin board started in unit one. Remember- once skills are taught in a mini-lesson and listed on the bulletin board, you are expected to edit your work for these elements before publication.
 * **Vocabulary/Word Wall:** As a class, continue to add to the vocabulary word wall bulletin board, where throughout the year, you will sort and add words as you learn them from each unit of study.
 * **Discussion**: comparing Riis and Hassam's artwork; subject matter, media. Both of these artists depicted NYC during the same period, yet they chose strikingly different subject matter. Speculate on the reasons for the differences.
 * **Discussion**: Riis was one of the first artists to use flash photography. How did the stillness that this technology required affect his choice of subject matter and the time of day in which he worked?
 * **Discussion**: Why do you think Hassam chose the colors and patterns that he did? Do you believe this is what the scenes actually looked like?

=Assessments=
 * R- Genealogy project: Vignettes about heritage
 * R- Answer the essential question as well as created assessment to coordinate with unit

Other suggested assessments include:
 * Culture concept map
 * Travel brochure
 * Various essays/journal entries
 * Graphic organizers: Venn diagrams and t-charts
 * Writing poems/songs
 * Word study
 * Grammar
 * Semantic map

=BACK to ELA 6=